


River Flows

by dean_colette



Series: Space Between Us [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Pining Lance (Voltron), Slow Dancing, Somewhere after s2 but before s3, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, soft klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-23 07:54:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11985501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dean_colette/pseuds/dean_colette
Summary: “What now?”Lance cheeks heat up with the thought of asking. Instead of answering Keith’s question, he grabbed him, roughly, by his waist.He should’ve expected the punch that was thrown to his face.-Keith only looked at him, then he nodded, pulling Lance closer by gliding his hand around him until it reached just below his nape.Close.Lance can feel Keith’s breath against his skin.Too close.Indigo eyes staring directly at his blue ones.He’s too close.-(Keith and Lance, slow dancing in the middle of the training room. It goes as smoothly as you can imagine.)





	River Flows

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally set to be a drabble with about 500 words (because it's a stress reliever fic), but it got longer? D:  
> Anywaaaay, the theme song of this fic is Can't Help Falling In Love (Hearts and Colors cover). I call it the theme song only because I listened to it (on loop) all the while writing this lol. Also! I got the title from it ;)
> 
> Anyway, have fun!

“Keith?”

Lance called, spotting his teammate lying on his back in the middle of the training room. Upon hearing his voice, Keith sat up, arms bracing himself from the back.

“Hey, why are you here?”

Lance rolled his eyes and walked towards him, his fuzzy lion slippers gliding smoothly against the floor. “Asked you. What are you doing here in the middle of the night?”

Keith avoided his eyes. “Training.”

“Obviously. Well, time’s up. Go to sleep.”

Keith raised an eyebrow at him. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

Cocking a hip, Lance regarded him with an equally raised brow. “I’m doing it now, aren’t I?”

“I can’t really take you seriously when your face is…like that.”

Lance faked a gasp, hand lifting to gently touch his face, feeling the hardened face mask on it. “Like what? Beautiful? Why, thank you, Keith. You should try it, too.”

Keith only wrinkled his nose at him, crossing his arms across his chest.

_Typical ‘I’m-guarded’ look._

Sighing at the obvious helplessness of the situation, Lance gathered his blue robe and plopped down beside Keith. “Seriously, man, go to sleep. You look awful than usual.”

And it’s true, well maybe not the awful part but sitting here, close to Keith, he can see the darker and fuller bags under his eyes, lips chapped, skin, paler than usual. So, maybe he doesn’t look awful, just…unhealthy.

“I’m not sleepy.”

_Stubborn as always._

“You probably didn’t even touch your bed longer than three hours for the past week.”

A scowl and pursed lips. _Bingo._

“Go to sleep, Keith,” Lance repeated with a sharper tone.

“I’m training.”

“You’re not, anymore. You were just lying here when I came in, right?”

Silence, then.

“Shiro’s probably not sleeping nor eating well with the Galras.”

_Thought so._

Lance has always wondered how the two met, and how Keith got this fixation to Shiro. It’s intimate, it’s familiar, it’s desperate, it’s…lonely.

Lance wondered how often Keith was abandoned and Shiro stuck up to him.

Looking at Keith like this, eyes downcast, hands clenched in a fist, a deep scowl on his face, gone was the Keith who aced the simulations back at the Garrison that Lance both looked up to and jealous of. He’s just…Keith, a teenager, afraid and lost without his brotherly figure.

Lance had a quick mental image of himself and his family, in the dining hall, laughing. He quickly banished it because this isn’t about him.

Keith still hasn’t look up, but his face is more relaxed now.

Lance has a need to do something when an idea popped on his mind. He quickly stood up.

“Stand up.”

“Huh?” Keith asked, looking up to him, eyes inquiring.

“Are you deaf now, too? I said stand up.” To emphasize his point, he held his hand to Keith, waiting for him to take it.

He didn’t. _Figures._

Keith stood up and stared at Lance, with the same genuine curiosity written on his face. Lips slightly parted, wide indigo eyes, eyebrows raised. When Keith looks like this, it’s hard to imagine him slashing enemies. _He looks so young._

“What now?”

Lance cheeks heat up with the thought of asking. Instead of answering Keith’s question, he grabbed him, roughly, by his waist.

He should’ve expected the punch that was thrown to his face.

“Ah!” Lance yelped, letting go of Keith, who scrambled a good three meter away from him. His hand flew to his nose to check it. Lance didn’t fail to notice that despite the impact of the punch, the face mask stayed intact. _Nice._ He’s getting distracted. Scowling at Keith, he snarled, “Keith, what the fuck?!”

“Why would you suddenly grab me like that?!” Keith shouted. He seemed so annoyed but also…embarrassed?

His eyebrows were furrowed, eyes glinting from annoyance, stance guarded- arms raised as if he was ready to fight, but, despite the distance, Lance noticed the slight quiver of his lips, the hitch on his voice and…a light blush on his cheeks.

With one last pinch to his nose, _It’s not broken, thank god,_ Lance straightened up and made his way to Keith. Once he’s close to him, Lance slapped his arms away. _Goodness, I won’t attack you._ Pointing a finger to Keith, he said, “You are-“ two pokes to his chest, “- an idiot,” two pokes to his forehead. Keith swatted the intruding finger away.

“What? I’m an idiot because I refuse to be manhandled by you?”

“Manhandled? Ugh, I won’t do that!” Then, remembering the way he grabbed Keith earlier, he added, “Okay, but not in purpose.”

“How can you accidentally manhandle someone?” Keith looked more confused than furious now.

Lance raised his hands in frustration. “You know what? Just forget it.” The, he held his hand out to Keith. “Take my hand.” His face heat up because he had accidentally let it out softer than he intended to. Keith stare at the hand, as if analyzing it.

“Why?”

 _You idiot, just do it!_ He wanted to say but he bit his tongue, instead he asked, “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Keith answered without hesitance, “but what does holding your hand have anything to do with trusting you?”

“Just…do it.”

For a few seconds, they stayed that way. Lance looking at Keith, his hand held out. Keith, switching his gaze between Lance’s eyes and held hand. And Lance was about to ask again when he felt the touch of a gloved hand against his, hesitant and wondering.

Lance quickly, but softly, glided his hand so Keith’s hand perfectly slotted against his open palm. He noticed Keith’s hand twitched, but he promptly ignored it. Looking directly in Keith’s eyes, as if asking for permission, he slid his free hand and grasp firmly on his waist. Closing his eyes, he expected another punch, but when it didn’t come, he opened them again only to see Keith’s face a lovely shade of red. It was even more apparent because of his paler skin.

“What are you doing?” If Keith was trying to sound tough, he was failing. He sounded small instead.

“Have you dance before?” Lance asked. Keith shook his head. “Why am I not surprised?” Keith scowled. “Put your other arm on my shoulder.”

“Why?”

“Oh, goddammit.” Frustrated, Lance removed his grip from Keith’s waist and forced Keith’s hand on his shoulder, ignoring the disgruntled _‘Hey’_ from the other guy, then he put his hand from their previous position on Keith’s waist. “Follow my lead.”

“I didn’t agree to this.”

“I don’t see you complaining.”

That silenced Keith.

“Why do you get to lead?” Keith asked, stressing the ‘you’.

“You just told me you haven’t danced yet. You think you can lead?”

“Are you even good at dancing?”

Now that’s a question Lance can perfectly and confidently answer. Flashing a wide grin, he said “Keith, my man, the gods of dancing bow upon me.”

Keith rolled his eyes. “Sure.”

“Now, you just follow my lead, okay?”

“Why are we doing this?”

“Why aren’t we doing this yet?”

Despite Keith’s complains, Lance felt the hand on his shoulder going slacked, fingers idly tapping against him. The hand holding his was doing some experimental grip, tightening, loosing. Lance wasn’t sure if Keith even knows he’s doing it.

Lance had always thought that Keith is touch-starved. Well, he did hug Shiro and he doesn’t let go whenever Hunk gives them hugs, plus, he let the Arusians hug him multiple times before. So yeah, Keith is touch-starved but he’s too awkward to admit it to anyone. Or he doesn’t know it himself, either. Or he never had people who he can freely touch before.

The last thought broke his heart.

Sliding his hand further on Keith’s waist, pulling him closer, he held him tight against the small of his back. “This is okay, right?” he asked sincerely, because if it isn’t, Lance will let him go. The last thing he needed was for Keith to think Lance is being a creep. But Keith only looked at him, then he nodded, pulling Lance closer by gliding his hand around him until it reached just below his nape.

_Close._

Lance can feel Keith’s breath against his skin.

_Too close._

Indigo eyes staring directly at his blue ones.

_He’s too close._

To save himself from looking at Keith, Lance leaned in and rest his chin on Keith’s shoulder. It probably isn’t the best idea considering he can feel every puff of breath Keith does against his neck, but remembering those indigo eyes staring directly at his soul, Lance figured this is better.

And Keith wouldn’t see his face, which is ridiculously heating up, so yeah, better.

“So, follow my lead?” Lance said.

Keith released a breath, sending tingles from Lance’s neck which quickly travelled to his chest. _Am I dying?_ “Okay,” Keith said.

Exhaling softly, Lance stepped his foot, expecting Keith to follow him.

He didn’t.

Lance tried again, using his other foot to step on the other side.

Keith stood still as a statue.

Instead of being annoyed, Lance huffed a laughter. “Keith, buddy, following my lead actually involves _following_ me. And dancing involves moving, not standing still, as stiff as a quiznaking cryopod.”

 “I told you I don’t know how to!” Lance can hear the frustration masked by annoyance on his tone.

“Oh ho ho? What’s this? The ever so amazing Keith who’s naturally good at everything can’t handle a simple body moving?”

Keith hissed, and Lance figured he should stop teasing him before Keith bite his head off. Not that he’s afraid. Please.

“Let’s do this again.”

And Lance did, stepping a foot to the side, and this time Keith followed, though he’s still very stiff. _It’s okay. We can work on that._

They continued like that for a few moments, side-stepping- literally, and too stiff to be considered dancing but it was progress, until…

The heel of Keith’s boot landed on Lance’s toes, his lion slippers did nothing to minimize the damage.

“Ouch!” Lance flung himself away from Keith. Raising his knee to his chest, he inspected his foot, now free from their confinement inside of his slippers.

“Sorry!” He heard Keith said.

“You should be!”

“What?! It’s your fault! Why was your foot just…there?!”

“Duh! What do you expect? For my foot to be floating? What’s inside your shoes? Are boots supposed to hurt like this?”

“Oh, stop being such a drama queen.”

“Shut up!”

One last look on his toes- _my nails are intact, thank you very much_ \- Lance stood straight-not before sliding his foot in his slipper- and looked at Keith. “Come here, let’s resume.”

The other boy looked puzzled. “You still wanna continue? Even after I almost murdered your nails?”

“Don’t worry, they’re alive. I have murdered you already if one of them died. And what a foolish question! Of course we’ll continue. Lancey will not give up on anyone no matter how hopeless they seem.” He mocked a finger gun on Keith’s direction, then he curled the same finger to him as if to say _‘Come here’_ , to which Keith obliged.

They held each other again, back to their initial position, but this time Lance willed himself to stare directly at Keith’s eyes. Okay, so maybe Lance needed more will power before he can stare directly at them. He resorted to something he’s more familiar with, which is, mocking him. “First, you punched me, then you stepped on my toes. You wouldn’t stab me next now, would you?”

 “Why the heck would I stab you?”

“I didn’t expect you to punch me either but look what happened. I just wanna be sure. Make a promise.”

“Ugh, Lance, seriously.”

“Come on! Just do it! For my sake?” He finished the sentence by fluttering his eyelashes. Though, it wasn’t probably as effective if Keith does it. _He doesn’t deserve long eyelashes. Damn naturally pretty people._ _Ah shit, I did not just call him pretty. But I did? What the cheese?_

He was saved by his internal dilemma by Keith when he said, “I promise I wouldn’t stab Lance tonight.”

“Tonight? So you’ll stab me some other time?”

Keith glared at him, then, under his breath, he corrected, “I wouldn’t stab Lance ever no matter how much he’s tempting me. There? Better?”

Lance let out a satisfied hum as a response. Then, he watched with amusement as Keith gasped. “What the heck are you doing?”

“You’re too stiff,” he answered simply as he continued to massage the small of Keith’s back with two of his fingers. “Let it out, Keith. This dance is no rocket science. It’s just swaying and stepping- but, not on toes- and things like that. This is supposed to relax you, okay?”

“Me, only?”

“Well, me too. If only you could stop physically hurting me. Man, that’s not fine.”

And Keith, Keith actually _laughed._

Lance was caught off guard that he stopped the movement of his fingers. Keith laughed before, of course, he’s not a robot, but everytime he does it, Lance can’t help but stare because _wow, it’s such a pretty sight._

“Lance?”

“Keith?” He answered dumbly.

“Are we gonna dance?”

Lance woke from his stupor and grinned. “Now, you’re the enthusiastic one. Good. That’s the spirit!”

Keith smiled at him. _Fuck my life._

Keith initiated the first step this time, and with that, they fell in a gentle sway, with a rhythm only them know.

And yes, Lance is slow dancing with Keith Kogane in the middle of the training room.

It shouldn’t be romantic.

They were in the middle of the war. A teammate is missing. Prisoners suffering. Planets were damage. Some planets were about to be invaded. The universe can be destroyed, with only them to prevent it.

The training room is too plain. The lights are blindingly bright.

It shouldn’t be romantic.

The way the lights are illuminating their features, Keith’s specifically, is too serene. His eyelashes are casting a shadow to his cheeks, his hair looking even smoother and shinier as compare to its usual appearance. The light reflected from his irises, eyes gazing at Lance’s. Lips slightly parted.

It shouldn’t be romantic.

The way Keith’s arm is wrapped around his shoulder, palm resting on Lance’s nape, lazily running a finger against the skin. Lance’s own fingers didn’t stop from rubbing the small of Keith’s back. Their joined hands, gripping each other tightly and comforting.

It shouldn’t be romantic.

But it is.

Maybe it’s because they’re slow dancing. Maybe it’s because of Keith.

Maybe it’s because Lance is slow dancing with Keith.

But whatever it is, Lance didn’t care.

Once again, he leaned down and rested his chin on Keith’s shoulder.

Before he knew it, he’s humming a familiar tone.

“What’s that?” Keith asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“I don’t know, but mom always sing me this song.”

When Keith didn’t answer, Lance continued speaking. “I get upset a lot when I was a kid. I don’t really know why, but I guess it had something to do with being the youngest child? You know, like they’re all growing up so fast? I don’t know, I was young. Whenever my grandma noticed it, she’d hold my hand and sway me. Kind of like this. And it became kind of a thing for me. Whenever anyone of my family is sad, I’d take their hands and dance with them. It’s a bit hard to do for my nieces and nephews, though. I have to lean down so much I’m basically folding myself in half.” He laughed at the last part, so did Keith. “And the song I was singing? Mom kind of invented that one time while we were dancing. And it stuck in my head.”

After he finished talking, he moved his head and rested his cheek against Keith’s shoulder instead- trusting that his face mask wouldn’t stain the shirt. He’s getting flashbacks. Memories with his family littering in his head. In a different time, he would’ve indulged himself with them, but right now, he dismissed the images. He’s not going to cry right now.

“…Am I your brother now?” Keith said after a few seconds of silence. Lance wrinkled his nose.

“Ew, no. I mean, you people here are my family, but for you to be my brother? Ugh, no offense but that’s just…meh.” Lance’s words carelessly flew out of his mouth, before he realized how offensive it may sound. “I don’t- “

“Please, it’s not like I want you to be my brother, too. That would be weird.” Keith’s tone didn’t hold any resignation, it sounded humorous. Lance smiled, even though Keith wouldn’t see it.

“Very weird.”

Silence.

“What am I, then?”

“Hm?”

“If I’m not your brother, or any of your family, what’s my role?”

Lance pondered for a moment before answering, “The neighbor who we didn’t know exists.”

“What?”

“You know! That neighbor who never get out of their house? But when they do, we’d be shock. But knowing my family, they’d probably invite you over all the time until you upgrade from being ‘the neighbor who doesn’t exist’ to the ‘neighbor who’s always there’.”

“I hate that you’re making sense.”

“What can I say? I’m awesome.”

Silence, again.

They didn’t stop ‘dancing’. At this point, it was more of like a gentle swaying of their pressed bodies. Keith mimicked Lance’s position, pressing his cheek against his shoulder, but unlike Lance, Keith positioned his head so he’s facing Lance’s neck. Lance had to stop himself from squeaking.

“You miss them?”

“That’s a no-brainer. Of course.”

They stayed like that for a while. Swaying, while listening to each other’s breathing.

And in that moment, they weren’t Paladins of Voltron, not the defender of the universe. They were just Lance and Keith. Two teenagers missing their family. Two teenagers wanting things to go well. Two teenagers wanting to go home, whatever the definition of home is. Two teenagers who, for a moment, found comfort with each other.

Remembering the initial reason why he pulled Keith into a dance, Lance stopped his movement and let go of Keith’s hand. He wrapped his arm around his waist, joining the other.

“Lance?” Keith sounded confused, his now free arm hanging uselessly by his side.

“We’ll find Shiro,” Lance said with conviction. “You got that, man? Don’t carry the burden on your own. You have us.”

Keith was silent for a while. Then, Lance felt his other arm lifted up and wrapped around him. “Yeah.” It was silent, barely audible. “Then, we’ll save the universe and go back to earth and you can go back to your family.”

“Yeah. I have to introduce you guys to them. They’ll love all of you.”

“Yeah.”

It’s not that simple.

But embracing each other like this, feeling each other’s warmth, hearing the sound of their breathing, they can pretend. Pretend that they’re okay. Pretend that coming back to earth is not a farfetched dream. Pretend that everything will work themselves out.

 

Yeah.

-

Later that night, after the two parted ways, Lance lied on his bed, wide awake.

Memories of a warm body, calloused hands, breathy voice and deep indigo eyes were hunting him.

It only happened about an hour ago, but he missed it already.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://s-h-a-r-p-shooter.tumblr.com/)


End file.
